Kurt Zouma is happy to put in the hard yards on the training ground to help Stoke City reclaim their crown as set piece kings.

The Potters have scored more goals from corners than anyone else in the Premier League so far this season, providing six of their 15.

That includes Zouma’s first for the club, in a 2-2 draw at Brighton on Monday, and the centre-back believes that Xherdan Shaqiri’s deliveries should continue to be profitable for himself and teammates like Ryan Shawcross.

Kurt Zouma nets from close range for 2-1 to Stoke (Image: Getty)

He said: “The last time I scored was two years ago (since scoring for Chelsea against Maccabi Tel Aviv two years ago tomorrow). I was injured for a lot of last year and when I came back I didn’t score so it’s been a long time.

Read More

“It’s good for me because we have players who have superb delivery at set pieces and when they put in a cross there is always danger. We can put pressure on the opponents and that’s a good thing to be able to do.

“If you look at Monday night, Ryan Shawcross had a couple of chances to score too, he was unlucky, and maybe it will be him and not me who gets it in the next game.

“It takes a lot of work to get it right, of course. But before the games we try to work on this because we have big players who can win headers and players like Shaqiri putting in the balls. It can be a big weapon for us so let’s keep it going.”

Max Choupo-Moting, right, and Kurt Zouma do a dance to celebrate Stoke City's second goal at Brighton and Hove Albion. (Image: GLYN KIRK)

Zouma celebrated his maiden strike and the goal from Maxim Choupo-Moting with what he still claims is an impromptu dance. He’s hoping it gets more air time.

He said: “I don’t work on it with Choupo, it’s all on instinct. He needs to score more goals – we both need to score more goals – so we can give it more practise.

“We did it against Man Utd and it was a good thing and I love him so much, he’s a nice player and a really nice person. He’s a very good friend of mine and I will dance when he scores because I’m so happy for him.”

Goalscorers Kurt Zouma and Max Choupo-Moting show their appreciation of the Stoke City who travelled to the Amex Stadium for the game with Brighton. (Image: Bryn Lennon)

But the France defender is not particularly happy that Stoke are not sitting in the top half, where they would have been if they had held on to their lead, twice. And that makes it more important to win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Zouma said: “When you lead twice you want to win. We were left with one point when we wanted three. Now we have to bounce back. We go again at Crystal Palace trying to put it right.

Read More

“We want to play our game, which away might be to be strong on the counter attack and not concede goals. If we don’t concede, we always have a chance to score so we give ourselves a very good chance. We have to stay compact.”

He added: “It’s good to go three games unbeaten but it’s frustrating that there are two draws in there. Especially at Brighton we should have won. We’ve got a big game now on Saturday so let’s get a win.”